Skip to main content
Skip to main menu Skip to spotlight region Skip to secondary region Skip to UGA region Skip to Tertiary region Skip to Quaternary region Skip to unit footer

Slideshow

For the first time in 230 years, Congress has full U.S. Indigenous representation

Image:
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of Calif., administers the House oath of office to Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, during a ceremonial swearing-in on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. (Jose Luis Magana/AP)

Rep. Mary Peltola's election to the U.S. House of Representatives made history in several ways.

With her recent swearing-in, it became official for the first time in more than 230 years: A Native American, an Alaska Native and a Native Hawaiian are all members of the House — fully representing the United States' Indigenous people for the first time, according to Rep. Kaiali'i Kahele of Hawaii. Now, there are six Indigenous Americans who are representatives in the House.

Kahele shared this history-making moment on social media this week with a photograph of him, Peltola, and Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas (a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation).

Peltola, the first Alaska Native and woman elected to the House for Alaska, is taking over for Rep. Don Young, who died in March.

"It's a historic moment," Lani Teves, an associate professor at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa said.

APPLE NEWS 

Support us

We appreciate your financial support. Your gift is important to us and helps support critical opportunities for students and faculty alike, including lectures, travel support, and any number of educational events that augment the classroom experience. Click here to learn more about giving.

Every dollar given has a direct impact upon our students and faculty.